


Dress

by randoms_and_fandoms



Category: Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy
Genre: Based on a Taylor Swift Song, F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Song: Dress (Taylor Swift), Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 05:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18204086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randoms_and_fandoms/pseuds/randoms_and_fandoms
Summary: Just a valduggery one-shot set at the requiem ball. Based on the song 'Dress' by Taylor Swift.





	Dress

**Author's Note:**

> "Only bought this dress so you could take it off" ~ Taylor Swift

They’re surrounded by people, some of the best and brightest sorcerers of their time but not one of them sees a thing. It almost doesn’t seem possible, that no one but them has noticed what’s happening. His fingertips are trailing down her back, down to the base of her spine and she feels certain that there should be sparks, something visible following their path. It’s not like she hasn’t noticed how things have changed between them lately; how she wants him more than just a friend and her suspicions that maybe, just maybe, he wants her the same way. Their jokes have been just a little too flirtatious, his touches too lingering and sometimes the tension between them seems impossibly heavy. But she hasn’t really contemplated acting on it until now. She tries to reassure herself that the alcohol is to blame, the many glasses of wine and champagne that are making her head spin, but truth be told it’s him. It’s always been him. And if she’s completely honest with herself (an activity which she attempts to avoid at all costs), she picked out this dress with him on her mind. It’s a completely gorgeous dress, deep green and clingy and very low cut. And with a slit up the side in case she needs her legs free to fight because she’s nothing if not practical. She looks beautiful, she knows it and she’s pretty sure she didn’t imagine how intense his stare was when he saw it. Actually, from his behaviour right now, she’s certain she didn’t.  
They’re supposed to be dancing but they seem to have become distracted somewhere along the way. His hand is on her hip now and the other is stroking along her jaw, his fingers tangling into her hair. Her breath catches in her throat and if he'd had a face she's sure he'd have smirked. He brushes her hair off her shoulder and grazes his teeth along her neck. His voice, whispering into her ear, is as velvety as ever and she shivers in spite of herself.  
"That really is a beautiful dress" he murmurs.  
"I know."  
He gives a low chuckle in response.  
"However," he says, moving his hand onto her shoulder and sliding his fingers below the narrow straps. "I think it might be time to take it off."  
It's her turn to chuckle now.  
"Mr Pleasant," she gasps, faking disapproval. Skulduggery's touches falter slightly before he sees her smirking wickedly.  
"I was thinking precisely the same thing."

They make it as far as the corridor, aided by Valkyrie's fierce glares at anyone daring to approach them as they crossed the ballroom. And then she's pushing him against the wall, pressing her mouth to his skull. He reaches a hand up towards his facade tattoo, but she pulls it away.  
"No," she says breathlessly. "I want you."  
At this he pulls away slightly and she panics for a moment, until he spins her so her back is against the wall and kisses her in earnest. Her hands are in his collar, loosening his tie and he's sliding his own hand up the slit in her dress, which is turning out rather useful, if in an unexpected way.  
Footsteps come towards them and they lurch apart, attempting to straighten their clothes as someone approaches. An unfamiliar face turns the corner onto the corridor and walks towards them and Valkyrie is pretty sure she's scarlet by now.  
"So… The case" she begins.  
"Ah yes, the case," Skulduggery agrees, nodding.  
"The very important case."  
"Extraordinary important."  
"The most important of all the cases..."  
The person is past them now and Valkyrie is trying very hard not to laugh at how overwhelmingly obvious they were.  
"Perhaps," suggests Skulduggery, "we should continue this conversation somewhere more private."  
"I agree entirely".

The main positive to having the requiem ball held in her house for a second time, Valkyrie thinks to herself, is the easy access to a bed. She practically drags Skulduggery into her room, and the instant the door is closed behind them they're kissing again. Skulduggery is dedicating all his attentions towards getting her out of the dress but curses slightly after a few moments.  
"What's wrong?" She asks, vaguely impatient at the amount of clothing they're both still wearing.  
"The zip is stuck," he explains, sounding as frustrated as she feels.  
She laughs. "Are you telling me that the great detective, the wondrous and ever talented Skulduggery Pleasant, has been confounded by a simple zip?"  
He sounds somewhat affronted when he responds. "In my defence, zips weren't invented for the majority of my existence".  
Valkyrie gives an amused sigh. "I suppose I have to do everything around here." She reaches up and tugs at it for a few moments.  
"Oh." She admits. "It's really stuck".  
She's pretty sure Skulduggery is glowering at her now.  
"Oh god," she groans. "I'm going to be stuck in this dress forever."  
Skulduggery takes over again, tugging more intensely at the zip but it still won't budge.  
"I could probably force it open," he suggests. "But it might ruin the dress."  
Valkyrie sighs. "I suppose sacrifices must be made." She takes a glum moment of silence for the inevitable loss of the dress.  
Skulduggery nods solemnly. "It really is a beautiful dress".  
"It is," she agrees. "But it already served its purpose".


End file.
